The Orlando Magic continued their streak of losing games Wednesday night as they dropped their 11th straight to the Los Angeles Clippers 86-76.
Magic guard Jameer Nelson returned to the starting lineup after missing a couple of games with a bruised forearm. He tried his best to break the Magic’s recent trend of bad play as he scored 15 points, but they all came in the first half.
Orlando reserve power forward Kyle O’Quinn was the team’s star of the night. He banged in 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists and only missed two shots from the field. Granted he only took six the entire night, but rays of hope have to shine from somewhere.
The Magic were inconsistent all night, turning the ball over 18 times and giving the Clippers 14 points off of those giveaways.
Outside of the careless play with the ball, the Magic were shorthanded. Guard J.J. Redick was out with a sore right shoulder, forward Glen Davis is away for at least two months with a fractured foot, Hedo Turkoglu has the flu, and Aaron Affalo has a sore calf.
Kind of hard to develop a rhythm when so many of the team’s core players are out with injuries.
The Clippers didn’t have stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul due to injuries, but it didn’t seem to matter. Guard Eric Bledsoe picked up the slack pouring in 27 points to lead the Clips to their 35th win of the season.
During this 11 game monster skid for Orlando, they have at least six losses by 10 points or more. Not sure if that shows a lack of hustle or heart, but something has to change before season’s end.
The playoffs are out of the question unless they turn it around against the Cavs on Sunday in Cleveland. Sure, they are just about 12 games out of the last playoff spot in the Easter Conference, but sanguinity is the heartbeat of life.
If they fail to make some type of run, any type at this point, the optimism for this scrappy group of young players will quickly seep out of the glamorous Amway Arena.
Injuries aside, the Magic simply have to play better. Their discipline must return, the floor spacing needs to improve, and someone, anyone, from the bench has to begin to pick up the slack in the absence of so many key players.
Oh, and just to mention it, the Magic haven’t had a player to lead a game in scoring since Redick did it on the 30th against the Knicks in the Garden.
I think it is time for someone to start making a difference.
-JH
